


Mors Tua, Vita Mea (Your Death, My Life)

by Little_Red



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Blood and Injury, Blood and Violence, Brainwashing, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Gen, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Romance, Slow Burn, Smut, Soulmates, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-25
Updated: 2019-08-04
Packaged: 2020-07-19 07:53:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19970572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Little_Red/pseuds/Little_Red
Summary: Back in 1942, young lovers Bucky Barnes and Kitty Desmond swore to each other that they would be reunited after the war separated them. Now in 2012, Steve Rogers is stunned to see a familiar face in this modern world. A face that he shouldn’t be seeing.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings: Mentions of war and death. Mentions of blood. Eventual smut. Slow burn. Angst. Romance. Violence. Talks of Violence. 
> 
> Notes: This fic is loosely based off of a prompt that I saw on…… I want to say Pinterest?…. *checks* yes, it was Pinterest: “You’re not allowed to die, okay?” She makes you promise, tears still flowing down her face. That was 200 years ago now. You don’t know what she did, but your promise still holds strong. Thank you to my Besties for helping me find a title and being sounding board for me. Thanks babes xoxo.

  


***** 

_**Brooklyn, 1942** _

**_Kitty’s POV_ **

“Bucky, you are leaving me…” I whispered, clinging to him. “I’m scared about what could happen…. That you could….”

“Hush Kitten.” Bucky whispered back, pressing his fingertips gently to my lips. “I will be safe, and we will be back together soon.”

I kissed his fingertips lightly, before reaching up to grab his hand tightly. “You are not allowed to die… okay?” I told him, tears flowing down my face “Promise me that you will not die.”

“I won’t die until you do, Kitten.” Bucky swore, “I won’t die until you do, because I couldn’t live in this world without you.”

His words made me cry harder, and Bucky gently pulled his hand free and used it to tip my face up to so he could look me in the eyes.

“We will die together Kitten.” He swore solemnly, “When we are an old married couple, we will leave this world together.”

“Together.” I whispered, blinking back my tears.

“Together.” Bucky promised, before kissing me softly. “I have to go Kitten… I love you and I will see you soon.”

“I love you too Bucky.” I replied, “Don’t leave this world without me.”

“I won’t.” Bucky promised as he got on the train. “I won’t.”

*****

**_Steve’s POV_ **

“Here’s that paperwork that you wanted Colonel Phillips.” Announced a familiar sounding female voice, as the woman came into the tent, her nurses’ uniform thoroughly soaked after a dash through the rain.

“Thank you Ki-“ Colonel Phillips started to reply before I cut him off.

“Kitty?” I said disbelievingly, “Kitty Kat?”

The petite red head quickly turned too look at me. “Only one person ever called me that…” she said slowly as she took me in. “Steve? Little Steve Rogers?!”

I had to laugh at that, “Nice try Kitty, I’ve _always_ been taller than you.” I informed her, smiling warmly at her.

“STEVE!” she breathed, “It’s really you…..”

Kitty eyes ran over me from head to toe, her eyes widening as she took in my attire. “Wait…. does this mean that you are Captain America?” she demanded.

“Ya Kitty Kat, it’s really me.” I replied as I pulled her into a tight hug, “And yes I am…. But more importantly…. Why are you here?”

Kitty pulled away from me and looked up at me. “Why do you think I’m here?” she said softly, looking away from me and blinking back tears.

“Bucky.” I murmured, “You came here for Bucky.”

“I’m not the girl who waits at home for her man, Steve.” She told me, “You know me… I had to come here and find him… be close to him… we made a promise… a pact… I am going to hold him to that.”

I sighed, “Kitty… I was just going to ask about Bucky… the 107th just returned… Bucky’s..” I started before Kitty cut me off.

“WHERE IS HE?!” she demanded. “Did he return?!”

Colonel Phillips sighed, “What’s his name?” he asked her, not looking at me. There was a touch of sadness and anxiety in his eyes, I’m guessing that he didn’t have to tell very many loved ones to their faces.

“James Buchanan Barnes.” Kitty and I said in unison.

“I’ve signed more of these condolences letters today than I care to count.” He said with a big sigh, “But that name I do remember. I’m sorry.”

“NO!!!!!!!!!!” Kitty screamed, falling to her knees. “No. No. No!!! He promised me….. Steve… he PROMISED ME!!!! He said that he would come home to me. It isn’t true. No. No. No… it isn’t true. I KNOW THAT IT ISN’T TRUE!!!!! HE’S ALIVE!!! HE’S ALIVE STEVE!!! I KNOW IT!!! I CAN FEEL IT… IT’S NOT TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!”

I knelt down and pulled her close to me. “Don’t give up hope yet Kit…. I’ll find him.” I whispered to her as two other nurses came rushing in to tend to her. “Go….I’ll find you later.”

The nurses led my sobbing friend out of the tent, and you could hear the silence that fell over the camp as her heartbreaking cries drifted over the base, making everyone feel her loss.

I stood, looking at her, wanting to comfort my friend, yet needing to go find and save Bucky.

“How do you know her?” Peggy finally asked, breaking the silence.

“She was my next-door neighbor.” I replied, “We grew up together. Bucky and I were best friends. She was always Bucky’s girl. And my close friend….. she’s more like a sister to me, to be honest.”

I sighed as I looked out the tent in the direction that Kitty had gone, needing to do something to ease her broken heart. Needing to give her closure.

“Kitty is the sweetest, most loyal gal that I have ever met.” I went on, “She wouldn’t let anyone say a mean word to me, and if they did.. she would tear into them. She even broke a few noses in my defense.”

Peggy smiled sadly at my words, “You sound like you really care about her.” She remarked.

“I do, she’s like family. She’s basically my sister… Kitty and her family did so much for me…. I have to do something for her. I have to find Bucky for her, dead or alive, I have to find him.” I declared, “So tell me Colonel Phillips….. Sir, when is the rescue mission?”

*****

**_Kitty’s POV_ **

I pushed my way through the crowd, all the commotion from outside had finally gotten me to leave my tent. I had just neared the inner circle, when I heard a voice that I thought that I would never hear again shout out.

“Hey, let’s hear it for Captain America.”

As the cheering and celebrations carried on around me, I just stood there and stared, until Steve looked away from Agent Carter and noticed me. Then he turned towards Bucky and said something.

Bucky looked at him like he couldn’t believe what he was saying, then he looked in my direction and it felt like the earth slowed down, as we slowly made our way toward each other, people stepping aside as if sensing something important was happening.

“Kitten.” Bucky breathed as he neared me, reaching up to cup my face “Kitten… what are you doing here?”

“Together, remember?” I said as the tears started falling again.

“Together.” Bucky vowed, before wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me closer, kissing me softly.

I could dimly hear cheers erupt around us, but they all fell away as I lost myself to the sensations of being held and kissed by the only man who I had ever loved and will ever love.

*****

**_Kitty’s POV_ **

I felt it before I even heard the news. I knew that my Bucky was gone. That he had broken his promise. That he had left me in this world alone.

I knew that he wasn’t dead before, because I didn’t feel the hollow void that filled me now. The emptiness that swept over me as I felt my love die, far away from me. Scared and alone. I had no idea what happened, but I felt the terror that he felt, before it was all gone. Snuffed out like a candle, leaving me completely devoid of emotion. Leaving me wishing that I felt dead inside, that I felt anything but this soul crushing sorrow as I realized the life that we had planned would never come to be.

I felt my happily ever after fleeing from my body. No growing old with Bucky, no wedding, no kids. No life together. I was alone. I was in a foreign country and I was all alone. No Bucky, No Steve. I lay down on my bed and sobbed for days. Agent Carter, Colonel Phillips and Howard Stark were all busy packing up the camp and getting ready to head back to their respective homes. Each would take turns stopping by my tent, trying to get me to talk or eat. But I could only stare blankly ahead and cry silent tears.

“It’s unnerving.” I heard Stark say one day, “That stare of hers. She looks right through you. Like she can’t even see or acknowledge you.”

“I’m worried about her.” Peggy murmured, “I can relate… I mean Captain Rogers and I weren’t…” she paused as she tried to figure out her words “We never got to figure out what we were. We just didn’t have the time. But Kitty and Bucky were in love…. And Steve… Captain Rogers was like a brother to her. She probably feels so alone.”

“Well if she doesn’t snap out of it soon. I may have to have her committed.” Colonel Phillips said gruffly, “And I don’t know if she could ever recover from that.”

“It’s like she gave up on living.” Howard commented, “It’s like she’s waiting to die so she can go be with Bucky.”

Their voices faded as they moved away, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. Or ever move. It honestly felt like I had died along with Bucky, but was still tethered to this earth, as if cursed to go on without him.

Sudden screaming and loud explosions barely registered to me, until I heard Howard and Peggy calling me.

“Kitty!! Kitty you have to get up!” Howard yelled as me run into the tent and shook me, Peggy appearing in the doorway behind him.

“Kitty, you have to get up now!” Peggy yelled, “We are under attack!! You have to get up!”

I just looked blankly at them, before Howard cupped my face, making me focus on him. “Kitty…. Sweetheart….” He begged, “You have to get up, it’s not safe here anymore… do it for Bucky, for Steve… they wouldn’t want you to die. Get up. And Live. Live for them.”

His words finally registered to me, and I nodded. “Ok.” I mumbled. “I’ll get up. I’ll live. For them.”

Peggy sighed in relief and Howard quickly helping me to my feet. “Ok Kitty, I need you to run. Colonel Phillips is waiting for us! He’s got a car, but you have to RUN Kitty, you have to run!” Peggy yelled as Howard ushered me out of the tent.

I blinked at the sudden light and utter chaos around me. We were under attack alright. Terrified screams and agonized cries surrounded me, barely heard over the din of gunfire and bombs exploding. Seeing Colonel Phillips waiting for us, I ran with Peggy and Howard towards him.

“Hurry!” He yelled, “I’ve already ordered everyone to fall back, one of our planes is on it’s way to take out the enemy! We have to evacuate.”

I was a few feet behind Howard and Peggy, my shorter legs having trouble keeping up, when the ground seemed to explode all around me, knocking me to my knees. I was just getting up, determined to live for Steve and Bucky, and trying to hurry towards the vehicle, when I saw Peggy scream.

“NOOO!!! Kitty!!”

“I need to live” was my last thought as something hit me from behind, sending me flying through the air. My body landed with a sickening crunch, pain radiating throughout my body.

I…have… to…live.. I tried to gasp, trying to breathe but only succeeding in coughing up blood.

Bucky would have wanted me to live.

*****


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve sees a familiar face in the crowd.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is going to be an angsty, slowwwwwww burn ride. Better buckle up!!!

*****

**_Battle of New York, 2012_ **

**_Clint’s POV_ **

I groaned as I lay on the ground, trying to catch my breath after crashing through the window. Sure, it had saved my life, but it still hurt like a mother.

“Get up.”

I started, surprised to hear a voice and sure that I was hearing things. This building was deserted, everyone had fled once the attack started.

“You have to get up.” The voice said again. “Now.”

I scrambled to my feet, hand automatically going for an arrow, cursing when I came up empty.

“Geez. I’m not going to hurt you.” The voice muttered, “I’m trying to save your life.”

Looking around, I finally located the source, it was a girl, who looked to be in her twenties. She was quite beautiful, with her long carrot red hair and hazel eyes that wavered between brown and green, depending on how the flickering lights from the battle outside hit them.

“Where did you come from?” I demanded, raising my voice to be heard over the war outside.

“It doesn’t matter.” She replied, just as loud “This building is coming down. We have to get out of here.”

“Then let’s get out of here.” I shouted, grabbing her arm. “Come on!”

The girl started following me, pausing as the roof rumbled loudly above us, threatening to give away any minute.

“Hurry!” I yelled, pointing to a doorway that led to the stairs, its door hanging askew “That way!”

Another louder, rumbling noise drew my attention upwards and I felt a wave of fear wash over me as I worried that I wouldn’t get the girl to safety.

“You have to run.” She said suddenly. “You have to run and live.”

Before I could say anything, she used all her surprising strength, and pushed me through the open doorway. I stumbled through the narrow opening and quickly regained my footing, pivoting around to reach for her.

Only to see that it was too late.

“Run!” she screamed as a large section of the roof caved in on her, plaster and concrete raining down in a steady stream, making rescue impossible. I paused for a second, wanting to go look for her, but as the building shook dangerously, I had no choice but to try and outrun the collapsing building, my heart heavy as I thought about the girl.

The innocents were not supposed to be saving me, I was supposed to be saving them.

*****

**_Tony’s POV_ **

“So that’s Captain America.” A soft female voice mused loudly next to me, “The great, famed Captain America… Steve Rogers himself.”

I snorted and turned slightly, seeing a shock of carrot red hair and creamy skin peeking out from under a grey hoody and black leather jacket, a security lanyard hanging around her neck. “Ya, that’s Capsicle.” I replied, “I take it that you’re a fan of his.”

I could hear Clint trying to smother his snigger next to me, not bothering to look over at who I was talking too. Clint and Nat were standing a few feet from me, trying to stay away from the hustle and bustle of the press conference.

“I guess you could say that.” She responded with a shrug, giving me a quick glance, allowing me to get a glimpse of a pale, flawless face and eyes that have seen too much. She looked me right in the eye, before turning too leave.

“I’ve always been a fan of his.” She said over her shoulder, “Even pre serum… back when he was regular little Steve Rogers, my next-door neighbor.”

“A diehard fan…..” I started to reply, before her words fully registered with me.

“Wait…. What did you say?” I sputtered, turning too look at where she had been standing.

“What did she just say?” Clint replied, turning away from his conversation with Nat too see who I was talking too.

“Steve was my best friend growing up. Tell him that I say Hi.” She tossed back at me, before she melted into the oncoming crowd of fans that were swarming towards us, desperate to get a look at the Avengers.

“Excuse me, let me through please!” I could hear Clint shout, followed by “Nat! Come with me.”

I tried to follow suit but couldn’t get through the swarm of women that surrounded me. Luckily, two master assassins were on her tail, they wouldn’t lose her. 

*****

**_Steve’s POV_ **

“A girl said to say Hi to you today… claimed that she used to be your next-door neighbor and that you were best friends growing up.” Tony told me as we boarded the quinjet for the short flight to Stark Tower.

I felt my heart clench painfully as green cat like eyes and a sassy but kind smile shot through my mind. Thinking about Kitty hurt my heart, as I had no idea what had happened to her, and I just nodded distractedly as sat down, only dimly hearing the conversations around me.

“She said so it seriously that I was almost inclined to believe her.” Clint said from the pilot’s seat, as he got the quinjet into the air. “We tried to find her after she said that, but I never got a good look at her, so we lost her in the crowd.”

“Probably some girl who wanted to get your number.” Nat commented from the co pilots’ seat “Some girls will do whatever it takes to get next to a celebrity.”

Tony rolled his eyes at that, “But how did a random, rabid fangirl manage to lose two master assassins in a crowd of people?” he questioned.

“It’s not like either one of us knew who we were looking for Stark.” Nat shot back, turning to glare at him.

“Steve… what’s wrong?” Nat asked as she took in the look on my face after glaring at Tony.

“I’m just thinking about this girl that lived next door to me, she was a close friend of mine growing up and she _loved_ Bucky.” I replied, “She’s the first person that came to mind when you said that Tony, and I have no idea what happened to her after I…” 

“Well let’s find out.” Tony declared, cutting me off as we landed, “Jarvis, pull up all information on…..”

Tony turned to look at me questioningly, waiting for a name.

“Kitty. Kitty Desmond.” I supplied quietly, anxious to hear any info on her.

“One moment Sir.” Jarvis replied.

“Put it on the view screen in the main lounge.” Tony told the AI, as he steered us all in that direction, “Let’s see if we can find Capsicle’s rapid fangirl.”

“She’s not my girl.” I said quickly, “She was Bucky’s girl.”

“That’s not what he meant Cap.” Nat replied, laughing slightly.

“Sir.” Jarvis called out “The most recent news is an excerpt from a book wrote about Captain America and the Howling Commandos.”

A few seconds later, an article appeared onscreen, along with several pictures.

“Captain America with his two closest friends, James Buchanan Barnes and Kitty Desmond. Bucky Barnes was a fellow commando and Kitty was a volunteer nurse, following her love, Bucky Barnes, into the war zones to be close to him.” Tony read out loud. The picture shown showed Kitty standing between me and Bucky, her head thrown back in laughter. I remembered that night well, Kitty was over the moon to be reunited with us both, especially since she thought that Bucky was dead, and we spent the night reminiscing about all the hi-jinks we had all gotten into back in the days.

“Kitty Desmond and Bucky Barnes share a intimate moment before the Howling Commandos left for a mission in the morning.” Nat read a paragraph under a picture and my heart clenched painfully once again as I looked at the picture, showing Kitty and Bucky slow dancing, gazing at each other with love shining in their eyes. Well Bucky’s eyes at least, Kitty’s face was partially obscured by her hair.

“That’s a sweet picture.” Pepper spoke up, having quietly entered the room as we arrived.

“I didn’t even know that it was being took, to be honest.” I replied, “Any of them.” I reached out my hand to lightly trace my finger over the picture.

“Kitty was Bucky’s girl.” I went on, “She only had eyes for him. But she always made sure that I was invited and included in everything. She never left me out.”

“Bucky proposed to her that night.” I said slowly as I remembered that moment. “She asked me if I would walk her down the aisle, since her father couldn’t be there to do it.”

“James Buchanan Barnes was killed in action during that last mission, never making it home to his love.” Bruce read on, “Captain America went on to defeat Red Skull, at the cost of his own life and Kitty Desmond seemingly faded out of existence and is presumed to be a causality of war, as she was never heard from again.”

“A Casualty of War.” Kept repeating in my mind, as I closed my eyes in grief, missing my fallen friends.

“I’m sorry Steve.” Nat said as she placed her hand on my arm. “I know that’s not what you wanted to hear.”

“That’s impossible.” Tony exclaimed suddenly. “It’s her.”

Opening my eyes, I saw a picture of Kitty, again with me and Bucky, smiling warmly at the camera.

“That’s her, that’s the girl who I was talking to earlier.” Tony shouted, “Jarvis, pull up all the footage that you can find from earlier today.”

“That’s… that’s the girl who pushed me out of the way from falling rubble when the building collapsed.” Clint said slowly, disbelievingly. “I saw her get crushed.”

“Ok that’s impossible.” I snapped, as I pointed at the screen, “It says right there that she died as a casualty of war!”

“And you were frozen in the Arctic for 66 years, yet here you are.” Tony replied as he pulled up the footage, “So try to have an open mind Capsicle…. Because look…. There she is.”

The screen changed to a slight girl standing near Tony, Nat and Clint off to the right of them. Tony and the girl were both staring at something in front of them. She had obviously said something, because Tony turned to look at her, but her face was partially covered by her hoody. The girl said something else to Tony, looking him right in the eye before fading into the crowd behind her. But I saw enough too know.

It was Kitty. She looked just like her, but she didn’t _look_ like Kitty. Not the Kitty that I knew.

Her hair was different. It was the same carrot red colour that Bucky used to tease her about when we were kids, but it wasn’t as unruly now. When we were younger, her curly hair was wild and refused to be tamed. She used to wear it loose, but constant teasing made her switch to keeping her hair in two tight braids. Then she seemed to grow overnight into the beauty that she became. Her hair, although always unruly, seemed wild and almost exotic on her. Guys lined up, wanting her to be their girl. But she only had eyes for Bucky. And me in a way. If she heard anyone be mean to me, she had a way with her words that would cut them down to a size smaller than her. Which was a scant two inches shorter than me, back in my pre serum days. She was a force to be reckoned with, and I missed her terribly.

But the woman on the screen who clearly looked Kitty, had to be a direct descendant of hers. There was no way that it was Kitty.

I had to find her, if only for my sake, not hers.

“Track her.” I ordered, needing to find her, needing to know how the rest of Kitty’s life played out.

*****


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve finds Kitty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok here is chapter three! I noticed that I wrote the translation down wrong in the title, and have thus fixed it!! 

****

**_Steve’s POV_ **

Tony set Jarvis to work, scanning every face in the city, looking for Kitty. Because the more I stared at the footage of her talking too Tony, the more I came to realize that it was Kitty.

Which was impossible.

I slowly wandered down to my room, having just moved into the tower a few days ago. I needed to be alone and think. Of course, Kitty could still be alive. Peggy was. But Kitty should be 91, with a head full grey hair and a lifetime of memories.

Instead she looked as young as I saw her last…. Granted, when I last saw her, she was so heartbroken over losing Bucky that she had seemed to have aged overnight.

Which means that Kitty was enhanced somehow, and I have no idea why she would have done such a thing. I just couldn’t figure that part out, no matter how I looked at it. It just wasn’t in her nature to do such a thing.

Since I had woken up in this modern world, the picture that I had of Kitty was her going back home to Brooklyn, getting married to a good man and lived a long, full life. I was going to look her up, but for some reason, I just couldn’t do it. And now I really regret that decision.

Jarvis interrupted my chaotic thoughts:

“Captain, you are needed in the main lounge.”

I looked up at the ceiling, still not used to the AI’s presence, “Thank you Jarvis.” I told him as I got up and made my way up to the main lounge area.

“What’s going on?” I asked as I entered the lounge, “I was told that I was needed here.”

The group shook their heads, “We were all summoned here.” Nat replied, looking wary.

“I’m the one that summoned you all here.” Fury announced as he strode into the room like he owned the place, “I heard that you were looking into the life of Kitty Desmond. And I want to know why.”

“How did you know?” I asked, looking over at Nat and Clint, who both shook their heads at me.

“Your search triggered an alarm, set up by Agent Peggy Carter herself.” Fury replied, looking at me. “I know that Kitty Desmond was your childhood friend who was a casualty of war, but Agent Carter went to great lengths to protect Kitty Desmond’s information.”

“And I’d like to know why.”

I looked at the man in disbelief. “Peggy…. Set up an alert to protect Kitty’s information, why?” I questioned.

“That’s what I would like to know Captain.” Fury replied, “Especially since the only thing in her file is a death certificate….. from 1946.”

I closed my eyes, not wanting to hear how she died but needing to know. “How did she die? Where did she die?”

“She was killed during a rouge bombing at the London base camp.” Fury replied, “A bombing that Howard Stark and Peggy Carter were lucky to survive.”

Now it was Tony’s turn to look speechless at this obviously unknown detail of his father’s life.

“But for some reason, Agent Carter set up an alert to notify the higher ups whenever someone tried to access her information.” Nat said slowly, “Why?”

“That’s the million-dollar question Agent Romanoff.” Fury replied, “One that I am hoping you people can help me figure out…. Starting with why you are searching for Kitty Desmond.”

Tony and Clint explained their run ins with the mysterious woman and what she had said about knowing me, and how upon being told this, I had immediately thought of Kitty, thus causing Stark to look her up.

I stared out the window, looking at the city beyond, lost in my memories of my life before I had woken up in this strange, modern world. Lost in my memories of Kitty and Bucky.

Fury looked at me, “Cap…. You think this is mystery woman is Kitty Desmond?” he asked me seriously.

“Honestly Fury… I have no idea.” I replied, turning too look at him, “I want think it’s impossible that it’s Kitty. But I’ve come to learn that impossible things are possible.

“Cap, you’re one of the impossible things…. It’s impossible that you’re here, yet here you stand.” Fury retorted.

“That’s what I said!” Tony exclaimed, making Fury roll his eye at the thought of sounding like Tony.

“I know that!” I almost snapped, “Which is why that I know that that woman _is_ Kitty Desmond.”

“I just don’t know how or why.” I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck “I need to talk to her.”

“I’ve got Jarvis scanning the city for her face.” Tony piped up, “We will find her.”

“I’ll get my people on it too.” Fury replied, pulling out his phone to make some calls

“Hill…. “ he said into the phone, “Run the search.”

“I’ll let you know when I find something.” Fury told me after hanging up the phone, “I have a whole lot of questions and no answers. I’m hoping that finding this girl will remedy that.”

“Likewise.” I replied, shaking his hand.

“Fury.” Tony spoke up, coming to stand in front of the imposing director. “What about this bombing that nearly killed my father?”

“There was a rouge attack at the London Base, and about 30 people died, including Kitty Desmond, or at least that’s what the official report states. According to the report, she was steps away from safety, killed right in front of Agent Carter, Colonel Philips and your father.” Fury explained to him, “It’s all in the report.”

“I’d like to see it.” Tony and I said at the exact same time.

“I’ll see that you do.” Fury agree, “But first we need to find that gir-.”

“Sir.” Jarvis spoke up over Fury, “I found her.”

*****

**_Steve’ POV_ **

I was out of the doors as soon as the quinjet touched down on top of the roof of an abandoned warehouse.

“This is where she is?” I asked Fury as he came up to meet us.

“This is the general area.” Fury replied, “I had some agents in the area, so they went to follow her. She apparently made them and took off, trying too lose them in this abandoned industrial area.”

“She lost your agents?” Nat said, exchanging a look with Clint.

“Not entirely.” Fury responded dryly, “She’s somewhere in this area. We have the perimeter surrounded, so she never left. We just have to search all these buildings until we find her.”

“There’s at least 30 buildings here.” Tony observed, running scans through his suit “And there’s so many agents milling about, I can’t tell for sure which heat signature is hers and which isn’t.”

“Then let’s start in small groups, starting with the buildings that have people in them.” I ordered, “If there’s any agents in buildings, have them stay put until someone arrives, then search the building as a group.”

“Did you har that?” Fury called out, waiting until all agents confirmed, “Alright… let’s go. It shouldn’t be too hard to find one little girl.”

*****

**_Bruce’s POV_ **

“Hello?” I called out, trying to figure out how I had gotten separated from the rest of the agents. I knew how, I just didn’t want to admit it that I was so anxious about turning into The Other Guy, that I had myself too on edge, sure that the agents were paying more attention to me than the search.

I finally gave up and decided to go outside and find the rest of the Avengers. That was better than me wandering around an abandoned warehouse by myself.

I had just turned around when I heard it.

“I know who you are. You are one of Steve’s friends.” A soft female voice said.

Whipping around, I looked for the source, unable to see anything in the dimly lit building.

“I’m up here handsome.” The voice said again.

Shielding my eyes, I looked up to a walkway that stretched the length of the massive building, roughly forty feet above me.

A woman was standing there, looking down at me, silhouetted by the sun behind her. I couldn’t make out her features, but I could see the long red hair, which seemed to glow as if on fire.

“Kitty?” I questioned slowly, “Are you Kitty Desmond?”

“He’s looking for me, isn’t he?” she stated, ignoring my question.

“Yes, he is Kitty.” I replied, “Why don’t you come down here and I will take you too him?”

She gave me a rueful laugh, shaking her head.

“Tell him to lose the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and I will.” She replied.

“But” I started before she cut me off.

“There’s no buts about it Dr. Banner.” She said firmly, “Steve and I have private matters to discuss, matters that I don’t need to a bunch of agents listening in on.”

“So, what, you will stay here while I go get him?” I challenged her.

“I’ll find him.” She said simply, “Unless you want to change into The Other Guy and haul me out of here, there’s not much that you can do about it.”

I paused, surprised about the casual way she said that I could haul her out of her, she didn’t seem to be afraid.

“I’m not afraid of you Dr. Banner.” She added softly, “Nor The Other Guy.”

She sighed and looked away from me. “We are all monsters in our own way.”

“How are you here?” I blurted out suddenly, desperately trying to stall for time, someone had to be coming soon, they would hear me talking over the comms. “We were told that you were killed in a bombing back in 1946.”

“Bad intel?” she suggested hopefully, making me chuckle.

“I don’t think that Steve will buy that.” I told her. “Come with me and we will go find Steve.”

“No.” she said firmly. “I will not talk to him with any S.H.I.E.L.D. agents around.”

“They’re not around Kitty.” Steve spoke up, having quietly slipped in while we were talking, “It’s just you and me.”

*****

**_Steve’s POV_ **

I could hear Bruce talking over the comms, and I quickly zeroed in on him while alerting the rest of the agents.

As we gathered outside the building, I heard Kitty say that she wouldn’t talk to me until all the S.H.I.E.L..D. agents were gone, and I gave Fury a pointed look.

“All agents fall back. Do not enter until I give the order.” Fury ordered, before following the rest of my team into the building.

I could hear Bruce stalling for time, and Kitty talking cryptically. When Bruce once again urged her to go with him to find me, she once again refused, stating that she would not talk to me with any S.H.I.E.L.D. agents around.

“They’re not around Kitty.” I said suddenly, startling them both, “It’s just you and me.”

“Ya, just you and the rest of the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.” She scoffed, indicating the rest of the team behind me, before seeming to focus on one person. “And the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.”

I turned to tell Fury to leave before Kitty’s voice stopped me.

“No. Wait…. He can stay. Peggy always said that I could trust him.” She said, looking at Fury warily, “He’d better live up to all that praise.”

“You can trust me Ms. Desmond.” Fury replied, standing up straight with his hands clasped behind him.

“Kitty… come down here. Let me see you.” I pleaded, “Please. I need to see you.”

Kitty hesitated then stepped forward into a patch of sunlight, resting her hands on the railing before her.

The sun turned her long, carrot red hair a fiery orange and cast a subtle glow over her pale skin. She was dressed in all black with soft leather jacket and black boots. She looked down at me cautiously and it struck me how tired and world weary she seemed. She had the expression of an old war veteran who had seen way too much in life. It was an expression that did not belong on her 25 year old face. That was the only things that had changed about her, her clothing, facial expressions and whole demeanor. Back in the 1940’s, Kitty was like a ray of light. Always happy and smiling, a warm comfort when I needed it and at times downright scary when the need arose. But now she was harder, like a storm cloud that was ready to unleash a hurricane on unsuspecting victims.

“Kitty.” I breathed as I took her in. “Kitty… “

I paused as I tried to get my emotions under control, I loved this girl, not like I had loved Peggy, but like I would a sister. She was the closest thing that I ever had to a sister and seeing her alive in front of me was a lot to take in.

“I want to ask what happened to you.” I started, “I want to ask how you are here, looking the same as you did when I last saw you, back in 1946. I want to ask you so many things. But those questions can wait right now, because the only thing that I am asking you right now is too come down here and let me hug you. I want to hug the only family that I have left in this world.”

“You have a family standing behind you Steve.” Kitty replied, waving her hand at the surrounding avengers. “They are your family.”

“They are.” I agreed, “But you are my sister.”

A small sob escaped Kitty’s lips and she tried to muffle it with her hand, while rapidly blinking back tears. She pulled her hand away from her mouth to wipe her tears away, then she nodded, visibly softening as some of the fight left her.

“I’ll come down.” She said, “Because I’ve missed my brother.”

Kitty stepped back and started walking towards the stairs located on the left side of the walkway. She had only taken a few steps when the wood beneath her feet cracked and groaned. Kitty looked down then over at me, her eyes wide and apologetic.

“Look out Lady Kitty!” Thor boomed, spinning his hammer as he prepared to take off. Tony was already in the air and I was headed towards the stairs when the ancient wood finally gave away, dropping out from under Kitty’s feet.

“I’m sorry!” She yelled as she fell, just missing Tony’s outstretched hand. I saw and heard Kitty’s body hit the floor below with a sickening crunch, before it was buried beneath the broken walkway.

“KITTY!!!” I hollered, tossing my shield aside as I started digging through the rubble for her. “Kitty!”

Thor and Tony joined me, frantically digging through the piles of dusty debris looking for her. The rest of the avengers pitched in, everyone clearing as much of the rubble away until we found Kitty.

She was lying under one of the support pillars, eyes open but unseeing. I dropped to my knees beside Kitty, watching as Nat checked for a pulse and shook her head at me, eyes full of sorrow, letting me know what no one had the heart to say to me.

“No. No. No. Kitty. No” I whispered as I scooped up her prone body, pulling her up to hug her, my hand cupping her head as I cried into her hair. “I just got you back.”

“I just got you back.”

*****


End file.
